Chapter 4 14th Springton Street

When did Lyla first become aware of the family living on 14th Springton Street?

It was when she accidentally discovered a property deed tucked away in a drawer.

Harvey Corporation was in the real estate business, so Joshua owned numerous properties. Most of these were either unique architectural gems or too valuable to sell. For someone in Joshua''s position, owning real estate was like a woman collecting jewelry - just another accessory to his wealth. But the house on Springton Street was different. It was just an ordinary place near the subway and a grocery store, less than 1,000 square feet with two bedrooms and a living room.

It was the perfect little home for a small family - definitely not Joshua''s usual style. Yet there his name was, clear as day on the ownership papers. Once Lyla found that deed, her curiosity got the better of her. The next time she happened to be in the area, she decided to drive by and see for herself.

That''s when she spotted a familiar car parked outside number 14. A man in a black suit and trench coat stepped out of the back seat. Before he could even close the car door, a little boy - maybe three or four years old - came running out of the house and wrapped his arms around the man''s leg.

"Daddy!" the boy shouted.

Lyla felt like she''d been struck by lightning. As she kept watching, she saw a gentle-looking woman standing in the doorway, smiling up at them both. The man scooped the child into his arms and walked toward the woman. The warm porch light caught his face, showing a calm, relaxed expression. He looked like any ordinary loving husband coming home from work.

Water splashed as Lyla stepped out of the bathtub and reached for a towel. The large bathroom mirror reflected her perfectly sculpted body and the pink scar running across her abdomen. She grabbed the bathrobe hanging nearby and slipped it on.

It was almost midnight by the time Lyla finished blow-drying her hair. She lay alone on her king-size bed, staring at the ceiling with wide-open eyes. She didn''t know exactly when she finally drifted off, but soon after, her phone''s ringtone jolted her awake.

Frowning, Lyla grabbed her phone from the nightstand. When she pressed it to her ear, a man''s voice came through the speaker: "There are some new guys here at the Golden Club. All pretty good-looking. Want to come check them out?"

Lyla pulled the phone away and squinted at the caller ID. Just as she suspected - Derrick Ramos. Slightly confused, she said, "You went to the Golden Club this early in the morning? Are you okay?"

Derrick chuckled. "Don''t you think morning''s actually better? It''s quiet right now. You coming or not?"

Lyla had to admit he had a point. She kicked off her covers and said, "Fine. I''m on my way."

"Great. I''ll be waiting."

After hanging up, Lyla got out of bed, freshened up, and headed downstairs.

The Harvey Mansion was over a hundred years old. It was built when Joshua''s great-grandfather first settled in Cleopatra and had been home to every Harvey heir since then.

As Lyla came downstairs, the staff bowed respectfully. The housekeeper approached her and said, "Mrs. Harvey, breakfast is ready."

"Did Joshua come by this morning?" Lyla asked.

"Mr. Harvey should be at the office now," the housekeeper replied respectfully.

"So he didn''t come back," Lyla thought to herself.

She realized Joshua had lied to Maureen. He didn''t have an important morning meeting, and he hadn''t left any documents at the mansion.

Suddenly, Lyla lost her appetite for breakfast. She slipped on a pair of heels and drove straight to the Golden Club. Even from the name alone, it was obvious this place catered to the wealthy.

This was Cleopatra''s most famous private club, specializing in entertaining rich playboys like Derrick. When Lyla arrived, Derrick was already sitting in a booth, watching dancers perform on stage. Since the club wasn''t officially open yet, he was the only customer there. Lyla sat down and poured herself a glass of red wine. After downing it in one gulp, she turned to Derrick and asked, "So where are these guys?" After all, that''s why she was here.

Derrick turned to Lyla with a puzzled expression. "Are you serious? Nathan already disappeared. If Joshua finds out you''re looking for a new man, he''ll..."

Derrick didn''t finish his sentence. Instead, he just made a slashing gesture across his neck while raising his eyebrows playfully.

Lyla scoffed and sighed. "He gets to spend quality time with his loved ones. Why can''t I entertain myself with men?" she said lazily.

"Quality time with his loved ones? What do you mean by that?"

Derrick didn''t understand, and Lyla didn''t bother explaining. They stared at each other for a while until Derrick finally got it. "Holy shit... He''s having an affair?"

"Yep," Lyla answered, leaning back in her chair and stretching out her legs.

"And... a child?"

"Yep."

Derrick uncrossed his legs. He''d been friends with Lyla since they were kids, which is why he always had her back. Even though rich guys like him usually fooled around with all kinds of women, having an illegitimate child was still pretty outrageous.

After all, what kind of upper-class family would accept a bastard? If this news got out, it would cause a massive scandal!

"Are you sure that''s what you saw? Maybe you''re just misunderstanding something."

Lyla shook her head. "I saw it with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears. How could there be any misunderstanding? The kid even called him ''Daddy.''" She took a sip of her wine and swallowed slowly. While the red wine started smooth, it left a bitter aftertaste.

"Also, I''ve talked to that woman."